Bail construction



NOV. 4, 1952 J, P, R G 2,616,747

BAIL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 24. 1950 IN l EN TOR. Jana-'5 A efir/amvPatented Nov. 4, 1952 BAIL CONSTRUCTION James P. Ratigan, Los Angeles,Calif., assignor to J. P. Ratigan, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Application April 24, 1950, Serial No. 157,829

This invention relates to the art of well drilling and producing and isparticularly directed to 9 Claims. (01. 294-48) improvements in a bailconstruction for support- 7 'ing load-carrying devices such as, forexample,

so that relative turning movement is prevented.

'Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of an archedsaddle member of novel design for suspending a pair of elevator links.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear more fullyhereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 22 asshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 3-3as shown in Figure l, the supporting hook being omitted.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing details of construction of thearched saddle member.

Referring to the drawings, the bail assembly generally designated III iscarried by a conventional hook II and supports a pipe elevator I2.

Movable jaws I3 are provided on the elevator I2 so that the elevator maybe moved laterally to engage a well pipe [4. The shoulder I5 on thelower end of the coupling collar I5 rests on the elevator l2 and jaws ISso that the well pipe I4 is supported by the elevator.

Inaccordance with my invention I provide an arched saddle l1 forengagement with the hook II. The saddle I1. is provided with a bulbousunderportion I8 which is thickerthan the body of the saddle and which isround in cross-section. This bulbous underportion I3 is arched and itsends terminate in abutments I9 which are defined. by parallel planesurfaces. Trunnions 29 are formed integrally with the saddle l1 andproject coaxially in opposite directions beyond the abutments I9. Thetrunnions are positioned above the abutments l9 and are not cylindricalbut are non-circular in cross-section. I prefer to form the abutments 20with a square cross-section, although other polygonal or non-circularshapes may be employed if desired. The width of the trunnions ispreferably the same as that of the main body portion of the saddle andthe side surfaces of the trunnions are conveniently formed as extensionsof the parallel plane surfaces 2i defining the sides of the bodyportion.

the trunnions 26 and 28, I provide retainer pins 29 which extend throughopenings 3| near the nions 28.

A pair of links or reins 22 are provided for suspending the elevator I2from the saddle I1. Asshown in the drawings, each of these links 22comprises an elongate shank 23 having integrally formed eyes 24 and 25at the ends thereof. The upper eye 24 is provided with a non-circularaperture 26 extending therethrough which receives one of thenon-circular trunnions 20 on the saddle I1. The aperture 26 as shown inthe drawings is square in cross-section to receive the square trunnions22. The connection thus formed between the upper eye 24 and the saddleI1 prevents relative turning movement of the saddle and link. This is avery desirable feature since it insures that the arched saddle membershall remain upright at all times with respect to the links 22. Thearched saddle I1 therefore always remains in position for engagement ordisengagement with respect to the hook II and no objectionable turningof the saddle with respect to the links can occur. 1

The upper eyes 24 of the links 22 are formed with parallel side surfaces21 so that the links may be installed with either of these side surfacesin engagement with one of the abutment surfaces I9'provided on thesaddle IT. The thickness of each eye 24 is substantially the same as thediameter of the shank 23.

The elevator I2 is preferably provided with oppositely extendingtrunnions 28 which are circular in cross-section. The eyes 25 at thelower ends of the links 22 are each provided with circular apertures 29for reception of the trun- The elevator I2 is thus capable of freeturning movement about the axis of the trunnions 28. This is a desirablefeature since it enables the elevator to be applied to pipe in eitherhorizontal or vertical position and also to be operated from either sideof the pipe."

- In order to retain the bails 22 in position on ends of the trunnions20 and 28. Since the links 22 may be disconnected from the arched saddleI1, the same links 22 may be employed with elevators of different widthsby providing separate arched saddles I1 of corresponding widths.Furthermore, links or reins 22 of different lengths may be employed forsupporting the elevator I2 from the same arched saddle I1.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bail assembly for a load-carrying device,

comprising: an arched saddle having oppositely projecting squaretrunnions, a pairof bail links each suspended from one ofsaid-trunnions, each bail having a square aperture receiving one of saidtrunnions to prevent relative turning movement of the saddle and links,a portion of each trunnion projecting beyond each of the-links,

beyond each of thelinks, and a detachable retainer oneach of theprojecting portions preventingdisassembly of the saddle and links.

, 4. A bail assembly for a Well-pipe elevator having oppositelyextending trunnions, comprising an: arched saddle having oppositelyprojecting square trunnions, a pair of bail links for suspending theelevatorufrom-said saddle, each bail having a square aperture at one endreceiving oneof -said saddle trunnions to prevent relative turningmovement of the saddle and links, and having a circular aperture at theother end to receive'one of the elevator trunnions, a portion of eachnoncircular trunnion projecting beyond each of the links, and adetachable retainer on each of the projecting portions preventingdisassembly of the saddle and links.

5. A bail assembly for a load-carrying'device,

the: cornbinationof anxarched saddle having a rounded and thickenedbulbous underportion, theendsof the bulbous underportion terminating inparallel'plane abutments at opposite ends of-the saddle, a trunnionprojecting from each endcof .thesaddlebeyond said abutments andpositioned thereabove, a pair of bail links each suspended from one ofsaid trunnions, each bail having an integral eye at one end having aside surface engaging one of the abutments, and each eye having anaperture receiving one of said trunnions.

6. A bail assembly for a load-carrying device, the combination of: anarched saddle having a rounded and thickened bulbous underportion, theends of the bulbous underportion terminating in parallel plane abutmentsat opposite ends of the saddle, a non-circular trunnion projecting fromeach end 'of thesaddlefbeyond said abutments and positioned "thereabove,a pair of bail links each suspended from one of said trunnions,

each bail having an integral eye formed at one end having a side surfaceengaging one of the abutments, and each eye having a non-circularaperture receiving one of said trunnions to pre ventrelativeturningmovement of the saddle and links.

'7. A bail assembly for a load-carrying device, the combination of: anarched saddle having a rounded and thickened bulbous underportion, theends of the bulbous underportion terminating in parallel plane abutmentsat vopposit'e ends of the-saddle, a square trunnion projecting from eachend of the saddle. beyond said abutments and positioned thereabove, apair of bail links each suspended from one of said trunnions each bailhaving an integral eye .-formed-at oneend having a side surface engagingone of theabutments, and'each' eye having a square-(aperturereceivingoneof said trunnions to prevent relative turningmovement ofthesaddle-and links.

8. A saddle for a load-carrying bail-assembly comprising: an archedmember having arounded and thickened bulbous underportion, the-ends ofthe underportion terminating in parallel plane abutments'at oppositeends of the arch, and'coaxial non-circular trunnions projecting fromeach end of the saddle beyond-said abutments and positioned thereabove.

9. A saddle .for a load-carrying bail assembly comprising: an archedmember having arounded and thickened bulbous underportion, the' ends ofthe underportion terminating in parallel plane abutments at oppositeends of the arch, and coaxial square trunnionsprojecting from each endof the saddle beyond-said abutmentsand positioned thereabove' JAMES *P.R-A'I'IGAN'.

REFERENCES CITED Thelfollowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

